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Week 3: Weight, Sleep, and Overall Health

This post is part 4 of a journey for better health. If you missed part 1-3, click here.

Week three has turned out to be disappointing at least for me. I am still having occasional nausea usually in the middle of the night. I thought my sinus was complete cleared, but once in awhile i still experience burning in my throat and nose in the afternoon. And I am still waiting for that burst of energy that has eluded me. According to the book, “It Starts With Food,” by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, things should start improving by week three.

Much of what happens during the second half of your Whole30 depends on your health history and habits. You may notice improvements in ailments – skin clearing up, allergies diminishing, joints no longer aching. Most people are sleeping well and are energetic and attentive throughout their day. Your gym or sports performance may take an upturn, and you may find that your mental focus and physical coordination are better. And you’ll probably notice that your clothes are fitting differently by this point too. (“It Starts With Food”, pages 214-215)

But there have been improvements:

Weight

According the Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, you are not supposed to weigh yourself until after 30 days. Their reason is clear: This is not another weight-loss diet.

The program is designed to jump-start optimal health for the rest of your life. We tell people to get off the scale altogether for the first thirty days because scale weight tells you almost nothing about your overall health – and is one of the fastest ways to lose motivation, even if you thought you were making great progress in other areas. (“It Starts With Food”, page210)

Oops, I already weighed myself before reading that part. In the first 3 weeks I lost 7.5 pounds. That tells you the importance of proper eating because I’ve been exercising for years and I never lost a pound.

Sleep

I’ve always been interested in the topic of sleep so I am fascinated to monitor my sleep with my fitness tracker. When I sync my steps to my smart phone, it also transferred the data from my sleep. Since changing my diet, I am sleeping earlier and longer. I wake up feeling more rested and more alert during the day.

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Health Summary

Although I’ve experienced only a slight improvement in my overall health, I am continuing my plan to finish 30 days without sugar, grains, legumes, and dairy.